2011 Kerrick National Sports Sedan Series

[Nadz44]

That is pretty p**s weak really it is a shame we couldnt get a better following down there, especially with all the talk of new cars and what not you would just expect a better showing for the first round especially with the huge gap we had from the last round...

[Mopar358]

The sentiments expressed by Phil and Nadz are totally justified, the opportunity to race at a great circuit with good promotion and typically close competition is not to be sneezed at. Yet where are the entries, I appreciate that Kerry Baily is flat out getting the Aston ready, but where are the other queenslanders. But more than that where are the locals. Surely there must be some cars that could come out, hell Clems Charger still looks race ready put a kid in that or one of the Monterrosos lol discuss!!!!

[commodore51]

Why Queenslanders ??. There are three cars attending from QLD that I am aware of and at least one from WA. What about NSW and Victoria, where is the support from these states ??. Forget about SA, they never support their own round anyway.

[toranaracer]

The big problem we have is that R2 of the Victorian State Series clashes with Mallala. :(

Originally we were OK untill the date change :mad:

Typically we would have had Gilliland, Robinson, Bryson and maybe Camm and Ablett who must be doing the State round.

Also we are missing Tamasi, Hossack and Randle/Sera which makes up the Victorian regulars.

It is a tough decision to travel <1hr or >10hrs to your next race meeting.

I was looking forward to see representing SA, Pfitzner and Podlewski :(

See you at Mallala

toranaracer.

[Topgear]

Unfortunately I’m busy with work and don’t have the time to get the car ready...
Trust me its disappointing not be able to do the local national round but will come out for a look.

I think one thing that limits interest in SA racing is every time you drive out to Mallala you drive past another circuit that we would love to use and haven’t done so for years!

When I first moved to VIC they had 4 circuits to race at so was like their own World Championship in their backyard, unfortunately we only have one track to go to and I know some local competitors get bored of the same circuit, but we do appreciate that Clem has done a great job of keeping the circuit going for local competitors.

Clem does a great job of supporting local racing and is disappointing to not be there to support that...

I went to a drift/time attack event a couple weeks ago where Clem put up $5000 for the win, it must have been the biggest crowd I've seen at Mallala since the V8 Supercars raced there... I don’t know how we get these crowds to our events, but if anyone has any ideas feel free to speak up.
I had a tech night at work a few weeks ago with about 60 people from the Local Subaru and Mitsubishi club came round while night shift was running...
They were all intrigued when they saw the Sports Sedan so I started it up for them and they couldn’t believe it when it started. Many people have no comprehension of the category and how fast the cars are. Many of the people from the car club have cars that are well in excess of 600hp, and lap Mallala in 1.14’s...
When I told them I’ve done a (slow)12 they couldn’t believe how fast it was, then I told them the fast guys do 1.05-6’s they were shocked!!! I’ve worded the car clubs up and hope to get as many people out there as possible... These guys just don’t know the category exists!? If we want new competitors we need to go where the new guys are, and it’s at these events...
The fast time attack guys do mid to high 1.12’s
Simon Podlewski in his Silvia has done a 12 in his car. Ok it’s not a front running car time but is a fantastic car that is buildable by someone who perhaps can’t build a space frame car. Simon is chopping the car up to remove weight and it now has about 850hp.

[Mopar358]

Sounds like the right idea to market into the euro/jap drift and time attack crew. In Tassie similar story, time attack cars would fit into the heavy metal area and I reckon a hot supra with some brakes and shocks would surprise more than a few. There's a guy in Hobart called Matt Rogers who has an uncracked Supra with a single turbo and no cage who is doing flat 58 seconds at Basketville which is around what a 996 GT 3 does. Strip one of those bad boys out, put it on an easy diet and slicks and it would have to go 2/3 seconds quicker, making it competitive with all but the 5 best cars in the Country. ( I mean cars that run not fast dust collectors mentioned previously!!

[MrBoost]

Wasnt there a raise of hands or survey or somthing about who wanted to keep mallala in and who wanted it out? I seem to remember a large majority said to keep it? where are these voters and who are they? I like the mallala circuit but if theres one id not attend in a years series if my budget didnt allow it would be mallala that gets the flick. Take it to the bathurst meeting and get a huge field and big spectator attendance. Better for the drivers and better for kerrick! that is what its all about right?

[commodore51]

MrBoost. Every racer has inspirations to drive at Bathurst, myself included. However Bathurst is not part of the series this year, (and probably never will be) Mallala is and is owned and supported by an ex racer who is 100% behind Sports Sedans. We, as Sports Sedan owners and drivers, should be supporting this gentleman and what he represents while we have the opportunity to do so.

[MrBoost]

true that we should support him this year while his event is on the callendar i totally agree. But in the interest of the series which in my mind is more important than a single persons wishes is to make the series viable. Who is going to pay the bills to race meetings when 9 cars front up? As far as im led to believe our category loses money out of its own bank account to make up for the lack of entries? Sorry but as much as i would also love to race at mallala, for most it just doesnt happen. The proof is in the entry list unfortunately. I would love to be proved wrong and 20 cars magically enter NOW.
Bathurst was an example. Honest truth is that if it went to bathurst there would be a ton of entries, like it or not it appeals to people to do it over travelling to mallala.
I can think of plenty of events that we could try to get a spot at that would be beneficial in that people would enter and crowds will be there. Theres 1 in particular you might hear about soon!
Maybe we should start this as a different thread (or could the moderator move these last couple of posts to a new thread?) Where people could voice an OPINION on where they think the series should go and where they would be happiest to race etc. Only way to get people there is to find out why they arent there and where they want to be.
Also, why will bathurst 'probably never will be' a part of the series? why is this a black hole??

[Phast Phil]

Sometimes the comments and the misunderstandings in this forum astound me.

I will keep this very basic. To have a real series there needs to be structure and consistancy. Take the V8 supercar series for example. There is many reasons they are successful however they are very structured and their races, whilst differing now in distance and number of races at events, have consistant elements, such as practice, qualifying, race, consistant rules and sporting regs etc.

For us to do this, and be understood by an event organiser that we need this consistancy, I have made the decision to stick with running at Shannon's Nationals events. Yes, every once in a blue moon someone approaches me to run at another event and when I explain that we need to comply with our sporting regs and require adequate practice qualifying and stipulated racing minutes they fail to deliver. What they do deliver is a much higher overall entry fee and lack of TV coverage or a highly inflated TV cost.

The reality is that some people say they would race if only "whatever" was "whatever". Well we have a 5 round series that goes to 5 different tracks in 4 different states and if that does not float your boat then not much else will anyway. When the list of wanna bees get confronted with the actual entry form and the entry fee (especially a high fee for a higher profile event) the list reduces, sometimes by as much as 50%. Even if they do go to a "one off" event and spend their yearly budget how does that help a "series"? My past observations and experience is that these events ruin a series.

Series points will be allocated at Mallala and those that do not race do not score points. If someone was serious about accumulating points in order to satisfy a series PB or to try and win the series then they would be there.

If there was better options open to us for 2011 then I do not know of them. If I might hear of a particular one soon it is too late as the sporting regs have been completed including series dates. Our sponsor requires and pays for TV coverage and they also require some structure and predictability.

If you all want to get together and organise a race somewhere else feel free to do so, and if you do it successfully I will respect you and may even race there if my car is finished, however you will not be using the forum attached to the Kerrick series to push your event; you will have to start your own website and forum thread somewhere else.